the captives-第51章

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Sometimes　for　half　an　hour　the　fog　lifted　and　bright　blue　sky　gleamed　like　a　miraculous　lake　suddenly　discovered　in　the　heart　of　the　boundless　waste；　then　vanished　again。　Suddenly；　with　a　whisk　of　the　immortal　broom；　the　web　was　torn；　the　spider　slain；　the　world　clear　once　morebut；　in　the　obscurity　and　dusk；　1907　had　seen　his　chance　and　vanished。

Warlock；　long　before　this；　had　lost　consciousness　of　external　sights　and　sounds。　He　could　not　have　told　any　one　when　it　was　that　the　two　worlds　had　parted　company。　For　many　many　years　he　had　been　conscious　of　both　existences；　but　during　his　youth　and　middle…age　they　had　seemed　to　mingle　and　go　along　together。　He　had　believed　in　both　equally　and　had　been　a　citizen　of　both。　Then　gradually；　as　time　passed；　he　had　seemed　to　have　less　and　less　hold　upon　the　actual　physical　world。　He　saw　it　suddenly　with　darkened　vision；　his　wife　and　daughter；　and　indeed　all　human　beings；　except　in　so　far　as　they　were　souls　to　be　saved　for　the　Lord；　became　less　and　less　realities。　Only　Martin　was　flesh　and　blood；　to　be　loved　and　longed　for　and　feared　for　just　as　he　had　always　been。　All　the　physical　properties　of　lifeclothes；　food；　household　possessions；　moneybecame　of　less　and　less　importance　to　him。　Had　Amy　not　watched　over　him　he　would　have　been　many　days　without　any　food　at　all；　and　one　day　he　come　into　the　living…room　at　breakfast…time　clothed　in　a　towel。　All　this　had　come　upon　him　with　vastly　increased　power　during　the　last　months。　In　Chapel；　and　whenever　he　had　work　to　do　in　connection　with　the　Chapel；　he　was　clear…headed　and　practical；　but　in　things　to　do　with　this　world　he　was　now　worse　than　a　child。

He　was　conscious　of　this　increasing　difficulty　to　deal　with　both　worlds。　It　was　because　one　worldthe　world　of　Godwas　opening　out　before　him　so　widely　and　with　so　varied　and　thrilling　a　beauty　that　there　was　less　and　less　time　to　be　spared　for　the　drab　realities　of　physical　things。

All　his　life　he　had　been　preparing；　and　then　suddenly　the　call　had　come。　Shortly　after　Martin's　return　he　had　known　in　Chapel；　one　evening；　that　God　was　approaching。　It　had　happened　that　that　day；　owing　to　his　absorption　in　his　work；　he　had　eaten　nothing；　and　there　had　come　to　him；　whilst　praying　to　the　congregation；　a　sensation　of　faintness　so　strong　that　for　a　moment　he　thought　he　would　fall　from　his　seat。　Then　it　had　passed；　to　give　way　to　a　strange；　thrilling　sense　of　expectancy。　It　was　as　though　a　servant　had　opened　the　door　and　had　announced：　〃My　master　is　coming；　sir〃　He　had　felt；　indeed；　as　though　he　had　been　lifted　up；　in　the　sheet　of　Paul　the　Apostle；　to　meet　his　God。　There　had　been　the　most　wonderful　sense　of　elevation；　a　clearing　of　light；　a　gentler　freshness　in　the　air；　a　sudden　sinking　to　remoteness　of　human　voices　and　mundane　sounds。　From　that　moment　in　the　Chapel　life　had　been　changed　for　him。　He　never　seemed　to　come　down　again　from　that　mysterious　elevation。　Human　voices　sounded　far　away　from　him；　he　could　be　urged；　only　with　the　greatest　difficulty；　to　take　his　food；　and　he　frequently　did　not　recognise　members　of　his　own　congregation　when　they　came　to　see　him。　He　waited　now；　waited；　waited；　for　this　visitation　that　was　approaching　him。　He　could　have　no　doubts　of　it。

Then　one　night　he　woke　from　a　deep　sleep。　He　was　conscious　that　his　room　was　filled　with　a　smoky　light；　in　his　heart　was　such　an　ecstasy　that　be　would　have　thought　that　the　joy　would　kill　him。

Something　spoke　to　him；　telling　him　to　prepare；　that　he　had　been　chosen；　and　that　further　signs　would　come　to　him。　He　fell　on　his　knees　beside　the　bed　and　remained　there　in　a　trance　until　daylight。　He　had　heard　the　voice　of　God；　he　had　seen　His　light；　he　had　been　chosen　as　His　servant。　Some　weeks　later　a　second　visitation　came　to　him；　similar　to　the　first；　but　telling　him　that　at　the　last　hour　of　the　present　year　God　would　come　in　His　own　person　to　save　the　world；　and　that　he　must　make　this　known　to　a　few　chosen　spirits　that　they　might　prepare　。　。　。

The　whole　brotherhood　then　was　at　length　justified；　they　alone；　out　of　all　men　in　the　world；　had　believed　in　the　Second　Coming　of　the　Lord；　and　so　God　had　chosen　them。　He　had　no　doubt　at　all　about　his　visions　at　this　time。　They　seemed　to　him　as　real　and　sure　as　the　daily　traffic　of　the　streets　and　the　monotonous　progress　of　the　clock。

Eagerly；　with　the　confident　resolution　of　a　child；　he　told　his　news　to　the　leaders　of　the　Chapel；　Thurston；　Miss　Avies；　and　one　or　two　others。　Then　a　special　meeting　of　the　Inside　Saints　was　called　and；　in　the　simplest　language；　he　described　exactly　what　had　occurred。　He　did　not　at　first　perceive　the　effect　that　his　news　had。　Then；　dimly；　through　the　mist　of　his　prayers　and　ecstasies；　he　realised　that　his　message　had　created　confusion。　There　was　in　the　first　place　the　question　as　to　whether　the　whole　congregation　should　be　told。　He　found　that　he　could　not　decide　about　this；　and　when　he　left　the　judgment　to　Thurston；　Thurston　told　him　that；　in　his　opinion；　〃the　less　that　they　knew　about　it　the　better。〃　It　was　then　that　the　first　suspicion　came　to　him　as　to　whether　some　of　the　Saints　〃doubted。〃　He　questioned　Thurston　as　to　the　effect　of　this　message　upon　the　Saints。　Thurston　explained　to　him　that　〃many　of　them　had　been　very　troubled。　They　had　not　expected　It　to　come　so　soon。〃　Thurston　explained　that　they　were；　after　all；　only　poor　human　clay　like　the　rest　of　mankind；　and　to　prepare　for　a　Second　Coming　in　general；　something　that　might　descend　upon　the　world；　say；　in　a　hundred　years'　time；　was　very　different　from　a　Judgment　that　might　be　expected；　definitely；　in　about　three　weeks。　One　or　two　of　them；　in　fact；　had　left　the　Chapel。　Others　begged　for　some　clearer　direction：　〃Give　it　them　a　bit　more　clearly；　Master。　Tell　'em　a　few　facts　what　the　Lord　God　looked　like　and　'ow　He　spoke　and　in　what　kind　of　way　He　was　coming。　Supposing　He　wasn't　to　come　after　all　。　。　。〃

It　was　then　that　the　trouble　that　had　been　smouldering　for　so　long　between　Thurston　and　the　Master　burst　into　flame。　For　half　an　hour　the　Master　lost　his　temper　like　an　ordinary　human　being。　Thurston　said　very　little　but　listened　with　a　quiet　and　sarcastic　smile。　Then　he　went　away。　Warlock　was　left　in　a　torment　of　doubt　and　misery。　That　night　he　was　in　his　room；　until　the　dawn；　on　his　knees；　wrestling　with　God。　He　accused　himself　because；　during　these　latter　months；　he　had　removed　himself　from　human　contact　with　his　congregation。　He　had　been　so　intent　upon　God　that　he　had　forgotten　his　flock。　Now　he　hardly　knew　how　to　approach　them。　The　thought　of　a　personal　interview　with　the　Miss　Cardinals；　or　Miss　Pyncheon；　or　Mr。　Smith　filled　him　with　a　strange　shy　terror。　He　seemed　to　have　nothing　more　to　say　to　them；　and　he　blamed　himself　bitterly　because　he　had　been　intent　upon　his　own　salvation　rather　than　theirs。

Thurston's　words　sent　him　groping　back　through　the　details　of　the　visions。　And　there　were　no　details。　For　himself　there　had　been　enough　in　the　light；　the　ecstasy；　the　contact；　but　these　others　who　had　not　themselves　felt　this；　nor　seen　its　glory；　demanded　more。

He　began　then；　in　an　agony　of　distress；　to　question　himself　as　to　whether　he　had　not　dreamt　his　visions。　He　wrestled　with　God；　beseeching　Him　to　come　again　and　give　him　a　clearer　message。　Night　after　night　passed　and　he　waited　for　some　further　vision；　but　nothing　was　granted　him。　Then　he　thought　that　perhaps　he　himself　was　now　cursed　for　leaving　God。　God　had　come　to　him　and　revealed　Himself　to　him　in　unmistakable　signs；　and　yet　he　was　doubting　Him　and　demanding　further　help。

As　the　weeks　passed　he　perceived　more　and　more　clearly　that　there　was　every　kind　of　division　and　trouble　in　the　Chapel。　Many　members　left　and　wrote　to　him　telling　him　why　they　had　done　so。　In　his　own　household　he　felt　that　Amy　no　longer　gave　him　any　confidence。　She　attended　to　him　more　carefully　than　before；　watched　over　him　as　though　he　were　a　baby；　but　made　no　allusion　to　the　services　or　the　Chapel　or　any　meeting。　He　seemed；　as　the　weeks　passed；　to　be　lonelier　and　lonelier；　and　he　looked　upon　this　as　punishment　for　his　own　earlier　selfishness。　He　was　pulled　then　two　ways。　On　the　one　hand　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　would　only　hear　God's　full　message　if　he　withdrew　further　and　further　from　the　world；　on　the　other　he　felt　that　he　was　letting　his　followers　slip　away　from　him　now　at　the　very　moment　when　he　should　be　closest　to　them；　advising；　helping；　encouraging。　This　divided　impulse　was　a　torture；　and　as　the　weeks　went　on　he　ate　less　and　less　and　slept　scarcely　at　all。　He　had　been　for　a　long　time　past　in　delicate　health　owing　to　the　weakness　of　his　heart；　and　now　he　began　to　look　strange　indeed；　with　his　bright　gaunt　face　with　its　prominent　cheek…bones；　his　eyes　straining　to　see　beyond　his　actual　vision；　his　flowing　white　beard。　His　doctor；　a　cheerful；　commonplace　little　man；　a　member　of　the　Chapel；　although　not　a　Saint；　tried　to　do　his　best　with　him；　but　his　visits　only　led　to　scenes　of　irritation；　and　Warlock　obeyed　none　of　his　commands。　After　a　visit　on　the　afternoon　of　Christmas　Eve　he　took　Amy　aside：

〃Look　here；〃　he　said；　〃unless　you　keep　a　stricter　eye　on　your　father　than　you　have　been　doing　he'll　be　leaving　you　altogether。〃

She　looked　up　at　him　with　that　odd　dark　impassivity　that　seemed　to　remove　her　so　deliberately　from　her　fellow…beings。

〃It's　very　well　to　talk　like　that；〃　she　said。　〃But　how　is　any　one　to　have　any　control　over　him？　He　listens　to　nothing　that　we　say；　and　if　we　insist　he's　in　a　frenzy　of　irritation。〃

〃Can　your　mother　do　nothing？〃　the　doctor　asked。

〃Mother？〃　Amy　smiled。　〃No；　mother　can　do　nothing。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃any　sudden　shock　will　kill　himI　warn　you。〃

When　the　fog　came　down　upon　the　city　Warlock　was　already　in　too　thick　a　fog　of　his　own　to　perceive　it。

He　was　sure　now　of　nothing。　It　seemed　as　though　all　the　spirits　of　the　other　world　now　were　taunting　him；　but　he　felt　that　this　was　the　work　of　the　Devil；　who　wished　to　destroy　his　faith　before　the　Great　Day　arrived。　He　thought　now　that　the　Devil　was　closely　pursuing　him；　and　he　seemed　to　hear　first　his　taunting　whisper　and　then　the　voice　of　God　encouraging　him：　〃Well　done；　my　good　and　faithful　servant。〃

He　had　lost　now　almost　all　consciousness　of　what　he　really　expected　to　happen　when　the　Day　arrived；　but　he　was　dimly　aware　that　if　nothing　happened　at　all　his　whole　influence　with　his　people　would　be　gone。　Nevertheless　this　did　not　trouble　him　very　greatly；　the　congregation　of　the　Chapel　seemed　now　dimly　remote。　The　only　human　being　who　was　not　remote　was　Martin；　his　love　for　his　son　had　not　been　touched　by　his　other　struggles；　it　had　been　even　intensified。　But　the　love　had　grown　a　terror；　ever　increasing；　lest　Martin　should　leave　him。　He　seemed　to　hear　dimly；　beyond　the　wall　of　the　mysterious　world　into　whose　regions　he　was　ever　more　deeply　passing；　sentences；　vague；　without　human　agency；　accusing　Martin　of　sins　and　infidelities　and　riotous　living。　Sometimes　he　was　tempted　to　go　further　into　this　and　challenge　Martin's　accusers；　but　fear　held　him　back。　Martin　had　been　a　good　son　since　his　return　to　England；　yes；　he　had；　and　he　had　forsaken　his　evil　ways　and　was　going　to　be　with　his　father　now　until　the　end；　his　last　refuge　against　loneliness。　Every　one　else　had　left　him　or　was